Loose Creek sex offender sentenced for child porn

JEFFERSON CITY - Richard Dale Hays, 50, of Loose Creek, was sentenced Wednesday to seven years and three months in federal prison without parole. Hays pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in February.

This is the toughest penalty recommended under federal sentencing guidelines.

According to court documents, Google notified police on October 21 that an image of child pornography had been uploaded to Hays' email account.

Officers executed a search warrant, but the image was not found.

Hays' computer's hard drive was gone. Hays said he had removed it and thrown it away.

Also according to court documents, Hays committed this offense after probation and parole officers failed to supervise him.

Hays has a long history of drug and alcohol abuse, rape, pornography and failure to register as a sex offender. His first offenses were rape and attempted rape back in 1985.